Analyze the factors in the break up of the Eastern Europe in 1989.
In 1989, many factors contributed to the break up of Eastern Europe. Prior to 1989, Eastern Europe experienced many protests, political upheaval, and massive uproars that all led to the revolutions in 1989. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected leader of the Soviet Union. Under his rule he issued two policies, glasnost and perestroika. Glasnost emphasized openness and political criticism, and perestroika emphasized economical restructuring. Glasnost backfired and only caused more political unrest throughout the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe as well. The Soviet Union needed world money, so while reform movements were going on in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and the Balkans, Gorbachev advised authorities not to resist these movements. Political upheaval, liberalization, and anti-communist feelings were major factors in the break up of Eastern Europe. In East Germany, many of the residents would try to escape their country. In May 1989, the Hungarians removed the barbed wire separating its border with Austria. East Germans began to escape their country through Hungary. East Germany’s leader, Erich Honecker, allowed the Germans to leave believing that they would return. Gorbachev cam to visit East Germany, and East German protestors were chanting and shouting his name. Honecker ordered troops to open fire on these protestors, but the troops refused and Honecker was forced out. Egon Krenz replaced Honecker. On October 23, 1989, the foreign minister of the Soviet Union, Shevardnanze, declared that every Eastern European nation is free to choose its own future. This declaration led to the East Germans opening the Berlin Wall in November 1989. The economy in Czechoslovakia was struggling like in many other Eastern European countries. Once the Berlin Wall was down, protestors in Czechoslovakia started calling for reform. The Czech Communist Party did not stop the protests and on November 9, 1989 all the members resigned. The protestors formed the Civic Forum led by Vaclav Havel who then led the Velvet Revolution. Gorbachev advised the authorities not to resist the movement. In December, the Federal Assembly elected Havel as president of Czechoslovakia. In 1976, the economy of Poland was facing serious adversity. There was discontent everywhere up until 1980 when Poland experienced strikes and stoppages. Workers part of the Solidarity movement, which was led by Lech Walesa, went on strike against Communist laws. Solidarity worked for free trade unions, right to strike, free speech, economic reforms, and to release political prisoners. Pope John Paul II was a strong supporter of this movement. With support from Pope John Paul II and millions of workers, the government was forced to back down and they agreed to accept the union as long as it did not participate in politics. In September 1980, Communist hardliner General Wojciech Jaruzelski became head of the state. In December 1981, Jaruzelski imposed martial law and suspended Solidarity. Protests were suppressed and people were srrested, and in 1982 the government declared Solidarity illegal. Strikes and stoppages erupted across the country as the people called for Solidarity to be legalized. The government was eventually forced to ask Solidarity to figure out how to stop the trouble. This resulted in the free elections of 1989. The Solidarity candidates won the 1989 elections and Walesa was elected president in December 1990. In 1988, opposition to the Communist government of Hungary was very limited. Gorbachev’s reform movement in the Soviet Union encouraged intellectuals and foreign dissidents to move forward in a revolution. In 1988, Kadar was removed from power. In 1989, leaders proclaimed Hungary an independent republic. In Romania, leader Ceausescu ordered troops to open fire on protestors. Government forces fought back, making Romania the only country with a violent revolution against Communism in 1989. Ceausescu was overthrown and assassinated. In the Balkans, after WWII, civil war erupted with the Communists in Yugoslavia led by Marshall Tito. In 1946, Yugoslavia was Communist with 6 republics. In 1980, Tito died, which led to the appearance of separatist movements. By emphasizing nationalism, Slobodan Milosevic became leader of Serbian Communist Party in 1987.
Essay 26
OUTLINE
1985 Gorby elected
Perestroika and glasnost
USSR needs world money so can’t be seen as the bad guy that allows people to be killed.
East Germany
May 1989- Hungarians removed barbed wire from border with Austria. E. Germans escape their country through Hungary.
E. German leader Erich Honecker- allowed the Germans to leave; ordered troops to fire on protestors shouting Gorbachev’s name when he visited it- troops refused; forced out.
Egon Krenz- replaced Honecker.
Oct. 23 1989- Shevardnadze ( Soviet foreign minister): every E. Europe nation free to choose own future. à Nov 1989- E. Germans opened Berlin Wall.
Czechoslovakia
Protestors called for reform after hearing about Berlin Wall à Czech Communist Party didn’t stop protests- Nov. 9, 1989 all members resigned.
Civic Forum- protestors led by Vaclav Havel à Velvet Revolution.
Gorbachev advised authorities not to resist reform movement.
Dec. 1989- Federal Assembly elected Havel pres. of Czechoslovakia
Poland
Solidarity- led by Lech Walesa- free trade unions, right to strike, free speech, economic reforms, release political prisoners- Pope John Paul II.
1980- General Jaruzelski became head of state. 1981- imposed martial law, suspended Solidarity à strikes and stoppages erupted everywhere.
Govt. eventually forced to ask solidarity to figure out how to stop the trouble à resulted in free elections of 1989.
Solidarity candidates won 1989 elections; Walesa elected pres in 1990.
Hungary
1988- Kadar removed from power
1989- leaders proclaim independent republic.
Romania
Govt. forces fought back when Ceausescu ordered troops to open fire on protestors.
Ceausescu overthrown and assassinated.
Balkans
After WW2, civil war with the Communists in Yugoslavia led Marshall Tito.
1946- Yugoslavia – Communist – 6 Republics
1980- Tito died à separatist movements appeared.
1987- Slobodan Milosevic became leader of Serbian Communist Party.
In 1989, many factors contributed to the break up of Eastern Europe. Prior to 1989, Eastern Europe experienced many protests, political upheaval, and massive uproars that all led to the revolutions in 1989. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected leader of the Soviet Union. Under his rule he issued two policies, glasnost and perestroika. Glasnost emphasized openness and political criticism, and perestroika emphasized economical restructuring. Glasnost backfired and only caused more political unrest throughout the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe as well. The Soviet Union needed world money, so while reform movements were going on in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and the Balkans, Gorbachev advised authorities not to resist these movements. Political upheaval, liberalization, and anti-communist feelings were major factors in the break up of Eastern Europe.
In East Germany, many of the residents would try to escape their country. In May 1989, the Hungarians removed the barbed wire separating its border with Austria. East Germans began to escape their country through Hungary. East Germany’s leader, Erich Honecker, allowed the Germans to leave believing that they would return. Gorbachev cam to visit East Germany, and East German protestors were chanting and shouting his name. Honecker ordered troops to open fire on these protestors, but the troops refused and Honecker was forced out. Egon Krenz replaced Honecker. On October 23, 1989, the foreign minister of the Soviet Union, Shevardnanze, declared that every Eastern European nation is free to choose its own future. This declaration led to the East Germans opening the Berlin Wall in November 1989. The economy in Czechoslovakia was struggling like in many other Eastern European countries. Once the Berlin Wall was down, protestors in Czechoslovakia started calling for reform. The Czech Communist Party did not stop the protests and on November 9, 1989 all the members resigned. The protestors formed the Civic Forum led by Vaclav Havel who then led the Velvet Revolution. Gorbachev advised the authorities not to resist the movement. In December, the Federal Assembly elected Havel as president of Czechoslovakia.
In 1976, the economy of Poland was facing serious adversity. There was discontent everywhere up until 1980 when Poland experienced strikes and stoppages. Workers part of the Solidarity movement, which was led by Lech Walesa, went on strike against Communist laws. Solidarity worked for free trade unions, right to strike, free speech, economic reforms, and to release political prisoners. Pope John Paul II was a strong supporter of this movement. With support from Pope John Paul II and millions of workers, the government was forced to back down and they agreed to accept the union as long as it did not participate in politics. In September 1980, Communist hardliner General Wojciech Jaruzelski became head of the state. In December 1981, Jaruzelski imposed martial law and suspended Solidarity. Protests were suppressed and people were srrested, and in 1982 the government declared Solidarity illegal. Strikes and stoppages erupted across the country as the people called for Solidarity to be legalized. The government was eventually forced to ask Solidarity to figure out how to stop the trouble. This resulted in the free elections of 1989. The Solidarity candidates won the 1989 elections and Walesa was elected president in December 1990.
In 1988, opposition to the Communist government of Hungary was very limited. Gorbachev’s reform movement in the Soviet Union encouraged intellectuals and foreign dissidents to move forward in a revolution. In 1988, Kadar was removed from power. In 1989, leaders proclaimed Hungary an independent republic. In Romania, leader Ceausescu ordered troops to open fire on protestors. Government forces fought back, making Romania the only country with a violent revolution against Communism in 1989. Ceausescu was overthrown and assassinated. In the Balkans, after WWII, civil war erupted with the Communists in Yugoslavia led by Marshall Tito. In 1946, Yugoslavia was Communist with 6 republics. In 1980, Tito died, which led to the appearance of separatist movements. By emphasizing nationalism, Slobodan Milosevic became leader of Serbian Communist Party in 1987.
Essay 26
OUTLINE
1985 Gorby elected
Perestroika and glasnost
USSR needs world money so can’t be seen as the bad guy that allows people to be killed.
East Germany
Czechoslovakia
Poland
Hungary
Romania
Balkans